I couldn’t afford the $10K+ USD that private consultants were charging, especially on an international currency, so I am so glad that Maria created ApplicantLab, a democratic product that evens out the playing field and is a great value for money. Applying to business school is an art, and Maria teaches that art, ensuring that it doesn’t remain the domain for the rich who can afford the equivalent of some countries’ annual living expenses.
I was a risky nontraditional candidate with no business background, little Q background, odd professional circumstances, and a GRE below my schools’ averages/medians, but I credit ApplicantLab to be the single most important reason why I was able to secure interviews with 4 of the 6 schools I applied to and will be attending Fuqua with a merit scholarship and Forte Fellowship! The admissions officer who called me said the team “loved” my application and found it “refreshing” after reading so many others.
I came into the process lost and without knowing a single thing about personal branding, resume, recommendation packets, application writing, or interviewing from a business perspective–I’d never even interview prepped in my life before–and ApplicantLab walked me through every single aspect, explaining the hidden logic behind B-school admissions and essay questions, before providing structure and examples to tackle everything through efficient notes and videos. I could build a comprehensive strategy, write strong essays, and prepare for interviews on a compressed timeline. I was impressed by the in-depth dive into each essay question–each essay module offered everything I needed. If it weren’t for ApplicantLab, I legit would not have made my deadlines or submitted applications I was proud of.
My application weaknesses could be preemptively addressed and my story and strengths being allowed to shine throughout my entire application, from essays to recommendation packets. ApplicantLab provides an excellent foundation, but of course I also recommend putting in the hard work on your end by asking peers to review your essays and preparing for interviews.
2 nice add-ons:
– You can email questions to Maria, and she’ll respond in 2 business days. In late-November, I was still struggling with personal branding, but I emailed her my concerns, and she kindly wrote out 800 words in response, much more than I was expecting or have received from anyone. With that, I was finally able to finalize my personal branding. I was surprised to see this was offered–to have direct access to the founder herself, despite how busy she is running the company and answering everyone else’s questions! There are plenty of private consultants who will take your $10K+ but shove you off to a more junior consultant. Even after applying, I still reach out to Maria for advice on questions here and there. Maria is a genuinely good person.
– Candidly, I was miserable while applying to business school, but Maria’s fun descriptions and videos were a great source of levity, humor, and joy during this process. While I was sad, cold, angry, caffeinated, and alone in my room during the holidays and Lunar New Year, I found myself bursting out loud laughing watching her videos and reading her explanations. ApplicantLab proves that there can still be joy in the process, and writing essays throughout December alongside her contagious positivity was actually something I could look forward to because of her.
I was part of 2 MBA prep programs, and everyone found her webinars to be the most helpful and enjoyable to watch, and they were also singing ApplicantLab’s praises. They’ve secured acceptances to M7, T15, T25 schools and beyond, many with full-tuition or significant scholarships. I have friends coming from URM and nontraditional backgrounds, who I will be recommending ApplicantLab to.
Thank you, Maria! 🙂
